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Approval requirements cover a wide range of issues: environment, ergonomics, emission of
electric and magnetic fields, energy consumption and electrical safety.
Environmental criteria impose restrictions on the presence and use of heavy metals, brominated
and chlorinated flame retardants, CFCs (freons) and chlorinated solvents, and other materials .
The product must be prepared for recycling and the manufacturer is obliged to have an
environmental policy which must be adhered to in each country where the company implements
its operational policy.
Energy requirements include a demand that the computer and/or display, after a certain period
of inactivity, shall reduce its power consumption to a lower level in one or more stages. The
length of time to reactivate the computer shall be reasonable for the user.
Labeled products must meet strict environmental demands, for example, in respect of the
reduction of electric and magnetic fields as well as physical and visual ergonomics.
Below you will find a brief summary of the environmental requirements met by this product. The
complete environmental criteria document may be ordered from:
TCO Development
SE-114 94 STOCKHOLM, Sweden
Fax: +46 8 782 92 07
E-mail (Internet): development@tco.se
Current information regarding TCO’99 approved and labeled products may also be obtained via
the Internet, using the address: http://www.tcodevelopment.com/
Environmental requirements
Flame retardants
Flame retardants are present in printed circuit boards, cables, wires, casings and housings.
Their purpose is to prevent, or at least to delay the spread of fire. Up to 30% of the plastic in a
computer casing can consist of flame retardant substances. Most flame retardants contain
bromine or chlorine, and those flame retardants are chemically related to PCBs. Both the flame
retardants containing bromine or chlorine and the PCBs are suspected of giving rise to health
effects, including reproductive damage in fish-eating birds and mammals, due to the bio-
accumulative* processes when not disposed of in accordance with strict standards for disposal.
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*Bio-accumulative is defined as substances which accumulate within living organisms.
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